Repositioning apparatus for elongated goods, especially loading and unloading apparatus for rails, strips, or the like, on or from a roller conveyor

Abstract

To permit loading of elongated goods such as rails, rods, strips, or a combination of the foregoing retained in cassettes, from support shelves located on stacks positioned on both sides of a gang way or corridor in which a roller conveyor (13) is located, a frame element (5) carries thereon guide track supports (11, 12) which are positioned in essentially V configuration. Movable support elements, preferably connected by a longitudinal beam, and operated by cylinder-piston units move the goods from a raised transfer position to or from a hoist to a position out of the roller conveyor. The goods can be moved by the hoist from the storage stacks to either one of the support elements which, then, can move on the inclined tracks from the side of the roller conveyor to beneath the rolls of the roller conveyor. The respective support elements (8, 9) on either side are independently movable so that material which previously was handled on the support element on one of the legs of the V can be removed and the support elements reloaded with new goods while goods which are, in the meanwhile, on the roller conveyor, are being worked on, for example by a cutting saw or the like.

I claim: 
     
       1. Repositioning apparatus for elongated goods, especially loading and unloading apparatus for elongated goods on a roller conveyor (13) having rollers for supporting the goods, comprising a frame element (5) located adjacent the roller conveyor;   guide track means (11, 12) on said frame element extending in a plane essentially transverse to the roller conveyor in an upwardly inclined direction from below the roller conveyor to above and laterally of the roller conveyor;   a plurality of movable support elements (9, 14, 16; 10, 15, 17) positioned along the roller conveyor and movable in said guide means,   said movable support elements having upper support surfaces positioned in an essentially common plane for, temporarily supporting the goods when transferring the goods to and from the roller conveyor,   said movable support elements being conjointly movable between a lowered position in which the upper support surfaces are below a support plane defined by the rollers of the roller conveyor (13) and a raised position in which the upper support surfaces are above the support plane and positioned laterally of the roller conveyor.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support elements comprise a plurality of support arms (9, 10), and a connecting beams (14, 15) movable along said guide track means. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide track means comprise, in cross section, generally U-shaped rails; and rollers (18, 19) are provided, movable in said rails and coupled to said movable support elements.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the guide track means comprise, in cross section, generally U-shaped rails; and rollers (18, 19) are provided, movable in said rails and coupled to said movable support elements.   
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said rollers (18, 19) are coupled to said beam (14, 15). 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1, further including power means (20, 21) coupled to said frame element (5) at positions adjacent extreme lower ends thereof, and further coupled to said movable support elements. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 2, further including power means (20, 21) coupled to said frame element (5) at positions adjacent extreme lower ends thereof, and further coupled to said beams. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said power means comprise cylinder-piston units. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said power means comprise cylinder-piston units. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 1, further including positioning stop means (22, 23) located on said movable support elements for defining the position of elongated goods placed on said movable support elements. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said stop elements include essentially vertically extending projecting means. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said vertically extending projecting means include rollers which are rotatable about an essentially vertical axis. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the support elements comprise support arms or brackets (9, 10) and the support surfaces thereof are inclined in the direction of the positioning stop means. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein all said support elements (9, 10) are inclined in the same direction.